St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-02
STOCKMEN'S PARADISE.
The Ooteau des Prairies of Dakota Extolled
as the Best Stock Region in
the Country.
What a Montana Stock Grower Saws
Who Has Wintered His
Cattle There
Inc Grass Abundant and Luxurfant.
the Water UnfatItng and the
Market Near
room Tor Thousands of Bands O,
Cattle and a Show for
Small Investors.

hoom Tor Thousands of Bands O,
Cattle and Show for
Small Investors.
Special to the Globe.
JAMESTOWN, OAK, April 1.-The de-
VelopmentS of the winter have confirmed
beyond question the claims repeatedly reit-
Grated by Dakota stockmen as to the supe-
rlor advantages and adaptability of Dakota
as stock region, and, besides revolution
lzlng the present methods of Montana stock
growers. will result in opening the Dakota
coteau west of the James rivera region
OF unequaled facilities and special adapta-
Dlllty, Which Will sooner or later become the
great rendezvous for the smaller stock
ralsers OF Dakota and eventually from Mon
tana. 1t is certainly the only unoccupied
stock-growing and stock wintering section
of the Northwest. The vast and unruIv
herds, expensive to handle and monev-los-
ing from heavy losses, which have so
crowded the ranges of Montana have made
mat region often unproductiye and at the
same time crowded out and starved out the
small Investor. on which class the pros
perity OF any region i'll great measure de-
ponds. The losses ON these large Montana
unprecedented, and the scarcity of feed
caused numerous herds to penetrate into the
valley OF the James river and the coteau
OF Northern Dakota. Here was found
region with abundance of feed and shelter.
railroad facilities and access to markets.
section OF small hills and grassy valleys,
where vegetation is rank and luxurious
and in which is found an unfailing supply
for stock the year round. These coteau
can pasture thousands of bands of cattle.
horses and sheep, and the small investor
need have
NO FEAR OF LOSING
range from the encroachment of power
full syndicates Among the prominent
Montana stockmen who have been winter
ing herds in this region are Thomas W.
Wadsworth. of Billings. and Sydney Pad
gett, of Miles City, both of whose herds
have wintered with scarcely any loss. and
are now in good condition, notwithstanding
the fact that no shelter whatever and very
little feed, except what could be found I'M
derneath the snow. was provided for them.
Concerning his band Mr.. Wadsworth SAYS:
1.-The hill country or coteauX, reach
ing from the Missouri nearly 100
miles eastward in Northern Dakota,
is proving increasingly valuable as a stock
country. Not only for summer, but for
winter grazing it is superior to any locality
known to the writer for the breeding and
rearing of horses. The grasses are as
varied and far more abundant than in the
more western territories and cure equally
as we'll for winter pastures. l brought a
large band of horses from Montana last fall
and they have wiDtered on the range west
of jamestown as well. if not better than
they would in Montana. They have been
entirely without feed and shelter other than
that provided by nature. and this during the
most severe winter known for years, and
moreover they are in excellent condition.
Mr.. Wadsworth thought this locality es-
pecially adapted to small herds, and that
more money could be made with a few
hundred head of stock here than from the
same number OF thousands farther west"
1t is urged, probably, that the severity of
the winters would neceSsitate the erection
of buildings for shelter, but those who have
had experience in both regions claim that
the losses on the Montana ranges would
more than counterbalance the expense of
the construction of
PROPER SHELTER,
and the difference III the cOStOf transport
tatiOn to market would make the showing
decidedly in favor of the coteau country.
Another stock grower living north of Spir-
itwood lake. John Waugh has successfully
wintered 200 head. and the only protection
they had was a shed of pine lumber. backed
with straw, and costing less than $500.
Other cases might be cited, all going to
prove that with an average of two tons of
hay to the head. with ordinary protection
from straw and lumber sheds. stock can be
kept in Dakota cheaper than any other
place in the country. Previously the Da-
kota farmer has directed his attention to the
one object of growing grain. The reverses
of the past two seasons, together with other
causes, both direct and indirect have moved
him, however, to the experiment of more
diversified farming, and a great number are
investing and engaging in stock growing,
and are finding the change profitable one.
Owing to the fact that in former years
grain raising was the ruling passion. and
stock raising, foOliShly, as the outcome
proves, considered Improbable the Dakota
coteau-a region which providentially
seems to have been especially designed for
stock raising and furnished III abundance
with all the neceSSarieS for the successful
prosecution of such industry-hay, grass,
water and Shelters a section of Sparsely
settled country. Miles upon miles of shell
tering hills and grassy valleys are included
in this region and Dakota stockmen already
have an eye on the coteau. This region
attracted the attention of Montana last fall
during their drouth when they were looking
for an escape from the Sunburned hills of
their own territory, and there promises to
be a lively development and scramble for
the occupancy of the Dakota coteau dur
ing the next few years.